Why create a DataBlade® module?

You can extend your HCL Informix® database server without creating a DataBlade® module by executing the SQL statements to create each object individually. However, the advantages of packaging extended database objects in a DataBlade® module are control and code reuse.

Control

DataBlade® modules contain all related extended objects, enabling you to easily install, upgrade, and remove a whole module at once. If you need to fix a problem or add a feature to a program, you only have to do it in one place-the DataBlade® module. Because a DataBlade® module is a package ready to be distributed commercially or internally, these changes can be easily extended to any application that uses the DataBlade® module. In addition, DataBlade® modules make it easy for you to maintain version information about the software.

Code reuse

DataBlade® modules can use the functionality of other DataBlade® modules through interfaces. Interfaces are references to other DataBlade® modules. When you include an interface in a DataBlade® module, you create a dependency so that your DataBlade® module can be used only if the DataBlade® module that provides the interface is installed in the database server.